High caliper web and web-making belt for producing the same

Abstract

A web-making fabric for producing a high caliper fibrous web and the fibrous web produced thereby. The web-making fabric comprises a reinforcing structure and a framework joined to the reinforcing structure. The framework defines a plurality of deflection conduits, at least one deflection conduit is a negatively radiused deflection conduit, and at least one deflection conduit is a positively radiused deflection conduit. The positively radiused deflection conduits are sized, shaped, and arranged to maximize fiber deflection along the periphery of the conduits. The web comprises three regions, a first region a second region and a third region. The first region is immediately adjacent to at least one of the second region and the third region. The second region comprises a plurality of negatively radiused domes. The third region comprises a plurality of positively radiused domes.

1. A fluid permeable web-making fabric having a web contacting surface for carrying a web of fibers, the web-making fabric comprising:
 a reinforcing structure; 
 a framework joined to the reinforcing structure and defining a plurality of deflection conduits, the framework comprising a continuous network; 
 wherein the plurality of deflection conduits comprises at least one negatively radiused deflection conduit, and at least one positively radiused deflection conduit. 
 
   
   
     2. The web-making fabric of  claim 1  wherein the positively radiused deflection conduit has an aspect ratio of from about 1 to about 2. 
   
   
     3. The web-making fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the positively radiused deflection conduit has a mean width and a minimum radius of curvature, and wherein a ratio of the minimum radius of curvature to the mean width is at least about 0.2 and no greater than about 0.5. 
   
   
     4. The web-making fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the negatively radiused deflection conduit has a first area and the positively radiused deflection conduit has a second area, and wherein a ratio of the first area to the second area is at least about 10% and no greater than about 90%. 
   
   
     5. The web-making fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the negatively radiused deflection conduit has a periphery, and wherein at least about 20% of the periphery has a negative radius. 
   
   
     6. The web-making fabric of  claim 1  wherein the framework defines a plurality of negatively radiused deflection conduits and the framework defines a plurality of positively radiused deflection conduits. 
   
   
     7. A web-making fabric comprising:
 a reinforcing structure; 
 a plurality of frameworks, the plurality comprising at least: 
 a first framework joined to the reinforcing structure; and 
 a second framework joined to at least one of the first framework and the reinforcing structure; 
 wherein the first framework is disposed in a nonrandom repeating pattern selected from the group consisting of: an essentially continuous network pattern, an essentially semi-continuous network pattern, an essentially discrete pattern, and any combination of the above patterns, and 
 wherein the second framework defines a plurality of deflection conduits, and the plurality of deflection conduits comprises at least one positively radiused deflection conduit and at least one negatively radiused deflection conduit, the plurality of deflection conduits being disposed in a nonrandom repeating pattern selected from the group consisting of: an essentially continuous network pattern, an essentially semi-continuous network pattern, and any combination of the above patterns. 
 
   
   
     8. A fluid permeable web-making fabric having a web contacting surface for carrying a web of fibers, the web-making fabric comprising:
 a reinforcing structure; 
 a framework joined to the reinforcing structure defining a plurality of deflection conduits, the framework comprising a semi-continuous network; and, 
 wherein the plurality of deflection conduits comprises at least one negatively radiused deflection conduit and at least one positively radiused deflection conduit. 
 
   
   
     9. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of frameworks joined to the reinforcing structure. 
   
   
     10. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 9 , wherein a second framework of said plurality of frameworks comprises a non-random repeating pattern. 
   
   
     11. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the positively radiused deflection conduit has an aspect ratio ranging from about 1 to about 2. 
   
   
     12. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the negatively radiused deflection conduit has a first area and a positively radiused deflection conduit as a second area, and wherein the ratio of the first area to the second area ranges from about 10 percent to no greater than about 90 percent. 
   
   
     13. A fluid permeable web making fabric having a web contacting surface for carrying a web of fibers, the web making fabric comprising:
 a reinforcing structure; 
 a framework joined to the reinforcing structure and defining a plurality of deflection conduits; 
 wherein the plurality of deflection conduits comprises at least one negatively radiused deflection conduit and at least one positively radiused deflection conduit; and, 
 wherein the negatively radiused deflection conduit has a first area and a positively radiused deflection conduit has a second area and wherein a ratio of the first area to the second area ranges from at least about 10 percent to about ninety percent. 
 
   
   
     14. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 13 , wherein the framework comprises a continuous network. 
   
   
     15. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 13 , wherein the framework comprises a semi-continuous network. 
   
   
     16. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 13 , wherein the framework defines a plurality of negatively radiused deflection conduits and the framework defines a plurality of positively radiused deflection conduits. 
   
   
     17. The fluid permeable web making fabric of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of frameworks joined to the reinforcing structure.